The Phoenix Reborn
by Allie351
Summary: Lupin's thoughts after the death of Sirius


Author's Note: This is my first ever Harry Potter story. I got the idea at about 4:00 in the morning and jotted it down in my notebook and decided to type it out and stick it up on FF. As always, please review. No flames, those will go to heat my non-existent fireplace. 

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They all belong to the wonderfully talented J.K Rowling. As Sirius and Lupin are my two favorite characters, I wouldn't mind owning them, but alas I don't. I am using them for entertainment purposes only. 

Dedication: Goes to my two beta-readers, Gina and Jen, for reading this story when I emailed it to them this afternoon and encouraging me to put it up here. You guys are awesome!

            Remus Lupin stared in shock at the crumpled bodies around him. He averted his 

eyes to the pit where moments before, his friend had fallen to his death. Around him, he 

could still hear the sounds of Kingsley dueling with Bellatrix, finishing what Sirius had 

started moments before. He could also hear Hermione's sobs, Ron's groans for the pain in 

his

leg, Neville's heavy breathing, Luna's dreamy voice, Ginny's giggles despite her pain. 

What tore at his heart the most was Harry's desperate screams not wanting to believe that 

his godfather, the closest thing he had to a parent, was dead. It tore at Lupin's heart to see 

Harry hurting so much. Harry rushed forward, lunging towards the pit, screaming out 

Sirius's name, wanting desperately to hear his voice again, see his handsome face and his 

stringy black hair. He even wanted to hear Sirius cutting down Kreacher, his mother's old 

house-elf. 

"Harry, he's gone, he's gone." came Lupin's soft voice.

"NO! He isn't gone, he's only pretending." Harry cried. 

Lupin shook his head. "No, Harry. He's gone, he isn't pretending." he said. 

But he barely heard himself over the swarms of memories that started flooding his head. 

Sirius and James always playing tricks on people, Sirius stunning Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, 

and locking her in a closet, James setting off dungbombs in the Gryffindor Common 

Room, the late night parties the four friends had. It took all of Lupin's strength not to

break down in tears in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna. 

"It's my fault. If I hadn't had that dream, then we wouldn't be here, and Sirius wouldn't be dead." Harry cried.

"No Harry, it's not your fault. Sirius wanted to wanted to get out of the house, wanted to come here and help you." Lupin told him.

Finally Dumbledore took them all back to school. Lupin took one last look at Kingsley

who was putting a stunning charm on Bellatrix, then mumbled an incantation and ropes 

shot out of the end of his wand, tying Bellatrix to a post. Kingsley was pointing his wand 

at her chest saying, 

"Back to Azkaban with you. You've killed countless innocent people, your cousin 

included." he said. 

Back at his cottage in the woods, Lupin finally let the tears flow. He knew he 

needed to go back to headquarters, but to him, going back to Number Twelve, 

Grimmauld Place, Sirius's home, without Sirius being there, didn't seem right to him. Still 

more memories came flooding back to him. He remembered the Marauder's Map that he, 

James, Sirius, and Peter had made. He remembered his friends taking three years to 

become illegal, unregistered Animagi, so when he transformed, he wouldn't be alone. 

Then there was the picture behind him of all four of them, taken in their Seventh year 

shortly before they'd graduated, smiling at him. James and Sirius with their arms around 

each other, Peter sticking his tongue out, and Lupin just grinning at his friends stupidity.

The next morning, Lupin woke up, hoping that he had been dreaming the whole 

thing and that he'd wake up, go downstairs, and Sirius would be there, arguing with 

Molly while she made breakfast. He knew he couldn't stay at his cottage much longer, 

that Arthur would need him back at Grimmauld Place before too long. 

Lupin forced himself out of his cottage and back to Grimmauld Place later that 

afternoon. The minute he stepped inside, Molly was wrapping him in a hug, tears streaming down her face. 

"Remus-I'm so sorry. I know he was like a brother to you. I tried to tell him to stay put, but he insisted on leaving." she told him.

Lupin returned the hug, then stepped back to survey the house's big mess. Clothes were 

strewn all over the place, dirty dishes were every where.

"Thanks, Molly. But you know Sirius, he's going to help no matter what he's told." he told her.

Molly looked at him through tear-stained eyes. "Even when it's the risk of killing himself?" she asked. 

Lupin nodded. "He owed James his life. He vowed to James a long time ago that no matter what, he would protect his son with his life, and that's what he did." he said softly. 

"James would have been proud. Of both Harry and Sirius." Arthur said, walking into the room.

He offered his condolences to Remus. 

"Yes, he would have. And I know that James and Sirius are looking down on us, continuing to play tricks on each other like they always did." Remus told them.

Then he suggested cleaning the house to make it look like headquarters again. 

After a few hours, Dumbledore had made an appearance at Number Twelve, 

Grimmauld Place. "Albus! How is Harry doing?" came Molly's voice from the kitchen. 

"After I explained everything to him and sent him off to bed, he cried himself to sleep." said Dumbledore.

"The poor dear," Molly responded.

Lupin walked into the kitchen then. 

"Ah, Remus. How are you doing? Surely this has affected you more than anyone." Dumbledore said.

Lupin sighed. "As I told Molly, Sirius owed James his life. He repaid him by protecting his son, and dying to keep him alive." he said.

Dumbledore nodded. "Quite right you are, Remus. But if I may say, it was Kreacher who sent Harry to the Ministry last night." he replied.

"The old house-elf? Albus, are you sure?" asked Molly.

"Yes. You see, Sirius was upstairs feeding Buckbeak at the time Harry called for him. Kreacher only wanted to serve one master, so he told Harry that Sirius had gone to the Ministry. Once Sirius found out what Kreacher did, that's when he showed up. So it was actually Kreacher who killed Sirius." he explained lightly.

Dumbledore stayed for awhile longer, then said he had some business he needed 

to deal with. Lupin was in Buckbeak's room, cleaning it out, when he came across two 

pieces of parchment on the desk. One was addressed to Harry. He opened it and read it.

_Dear Harry._

_ By the time you get this letter, I'll be dead. Please do not worry though, I did this for you, Harry. Take care of yourself and think of me always. You truly are your father's son. _

_ Sirius_

Tears formed Lupin's eyes as he picked up the parchment and parcel addressed to 

himself. He tore the parcel open and out fell the picture taken of the 4 of them in their 

Fifth year, shortly after they had created the Marauders Map, and the Marauders Map 

itself. Lupin was shocked. Last he knew, Harry'd had the map, so how had Sirius gotten it 

back. He tore open the letter and started reading.

_Dear Remus,_

_ A late birthday present. I thought you'd enjoy the pictures about getting the map back. I noticed Harry with it over Christmas and spelled it from his bag. I thought it should go to one of the original Marauders, and now you're the only one left. Don't worry about me anymore. And please take care of Harry, you're all he's gotleft now._

_ Take care of yourself, Moony_

_ Padfoot_

Lupin lightly ran his hands over the Marauders Map and the names of it's 4 creators, 

Misters Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Three gone, one left. Lupin, aka Moony, 

was the only original Marauder left. He took the map, the letter, and the picture to his 

room where he set the letter and picture on the dresser, laid on the bed with the map still 

in his hands, and let the tears start flowing. Eventually he fell asleep. 


End file.
